The invention relates to a device for dispensing flowable substances from a pencil-shaped housing comprising a displaceably mounted control member with which a discharge opening for the substance can be closed and which includes an applicator disposed in a retracted position within a chamber of the housing which is closed by a removable cap and from which the applicator can be advanced. Flowable substances that can be used in this device are understood to be coloring liquids as they are used for make-up. This includes liquids for application onto the skin as well as those to be applied to the finger or toe nails. Depending on the intended use, these liquids may have widely varying viscosities. In addition, the device is also intended for use with other liquids, such as, for example, adhesives or solvents. The applicator is preferably a brush; however, fiber wicks or capillary tubes known from writing implements can also be employed.
A dispensing device for flowable substances, such as, for example, nail polish, is known (U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,829) in which an applicator in the form of a brush is advanced from a chamber disposed in the front section of the container. The brush is fastened in a slidable member provided with axial grooves through which a predetermined quantity of the flowable substance is supplied to the brush by the force of gravity. In the operating position of the brush, i.e. when it is oriented vertically downwardly, a ball valve blocks the further advance of liquid. For use of the dispensing device, before the cap is removed, the container must be held upright for a moment so as to fill the dosaging chamber. After removal of the protective cap, the dispensing device must be rotated in such a manner that the tip is directed downwardly. This causes the brush and the slide member to move within the chamber until the brush projects from the chamber and the slide member seals off the majority of the chamber, leaving narrow channels as the only connection between the brush and the interior of the dosaging chamber. Once the brush has been moistened with the liquid, it is ready for use. As soon as the measured quantity of liquid transferred to the brush has been used, the device must be tilted again to permit a new quantity of liquid to be supplied by way of the dosaging chamber.
Proper operation of this dispensing device is assured only if the ball valve as well as the slide member and the brush are able to move under the force of gravity.
Particularly for the use of nail polish it is necessary to permit such polish to dry shortly after it has been applied. For this reason, these polishes contain very volatile solvents which may, however, dry just as quickly within the dispenser.
In one device of the type described above, in which the movable parts are moved only by gravity and supported by acceleration forces generated by shaking the device, it may happen that the parts stick together and no longer move freely. Then the dispenser no longer functions properly. Designs of this type have therefore been unable to displace from the market the conventional nail polish bottles in which the brush is attached to the screw closure.
The already mentioned nail polish bottles employing brushes are known to have the drawback that during application with the brush the bottle is not closed. Thus, the liquid contained therein not only may easily dry up or thicken, there also exists the danger that the bottle may be tipped over and the liquid run out. To avoid this drawback, dispensing devices are known in which the applicator is not connected with the screw closure but is inserted directly into the container. According to West German Utility Model DE-GM No. 79/31,006, a container for nail polish is known which is equipped with an applicator brush at the mouth of the container. The bristles of the applicator brush are fastened to a movable head piece which is provided with channels and which can be retracted at least partially into the mouth of the container against the force of a spring element and in which the closing cap is provided with means for sealing the mouth of the container. If now the closing cap of this container is removed, the brush moves out of the head section of the container under the action of the spring. The container is now immediately exposed to the ambient air, possibly causing the liquid to dry out or thicken.